CJ Rapp

Latest

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  May 29, 2014

  'I'm Busy' the New 'I'm Fine' in Answer to 'How are You?'

  Have you noticed that 'busy' is the standard response you get these days when asking, 'How are you?' Busy translated means: I'm important, needed, and valued. Most of us live our lives at light-speed, running from one activity to the next, working ourselves and our families into a frazzled ball of nerves. The question is, why are we filling our lives with busyness?

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  May 9, 2014

  'Just' a Mom? How God Sees Your Role

  The job of mom is not always appreciated. As a young mother I will never forget being asked at social events what I did for a living. The response was always the same, 'Oh, you're just a mom' as if my position was less important than doctor, lawyer, or accountant. The phrase just a mom caused me to wonder how God sees the role of mom. Picking up my Bible I turned to this passage in Luke 1...

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  Apr 29, 2014

  Did You Know You are Cherished?

  Did you know you are cherished? It's true. You are cherished. It is your identity as a child of God.

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  Apr 23, 2014

  Exposed! The New Trend of After-Sex Selfies

  There is a new trend sweeping across the internet and specifically Instagram – selfies taken after sex. Some call it edgy and steamy and others call it disgusting and wrong. The reality is this new phase of the digital age has made it easy to record and share our lives with our friends and everyone on the internet. But how much is too much?

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  Mar 26, 2014

  Communication: Instead of Texting, Turning to Facebook or Twitter to Vent, Try TALKING Things Through

  In our electronic age, instead of talking things through, many of us find it easier to send a text, or turn to Facebook or Twitter to vent opinions and frustrations. The aftermath is often a hopelessly broken relationship and our witness for Jesus (love for one another) becomes tainted.

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  Feb 13, 2014

  Questions To Ask God When Life Doesn't Make Sense

  Have you watched the news lately? Most of the recent stories cause me to feel frustrated, anxious, fearful, sometimes angry, and frankly, disturbed. Lately, our daily dose of bad news has included the IRS scandal, a poor economy, mandated insurance, horrific local crime and chaos, and reports of terror threats targeting the Olympics. As icing on the cake, the news from our own families and close friends can also be disturbing – illness, job loss, foreclosure, divorce, and crumbling friendships a

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  Jan 29, 2014

  You've Changed, Now What Do You Do When You Want That Same Transformation For a Friend, Loved One?

  Have you waited patiently for a friend or loved one to want change only to have them run from it at the last minute? If so, don't despair. Jesus is the King of hope! He is constantly at work in the lives of people all around us. As partners in his Kingdom work our job is to watch for signs of where he is already moving and join him.

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  Jan 21, 2014

  Targeted for Identity Theft; First Case Recorded in Genesis

  The electronic age has made identity theft more familiar but actually it has been around since the beginning of time. The thief of old steals a different kind of personal information. He wants to rob us of our spiritual identity in order steal our inheritance, kill our hope, and destroy our trust in the truth – the Word of God. Why? Identity is how we see ourselves.

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  Jan 8, 2014

  How Do We Transition From One 'Season' of Life to Another? Lean on the King of New Beginnings

  The beginning of a new year is when most of us reflect on the times, seasons of life and experiences of the past year. Really life is a series of transitions. We are always in a process of endings and new beginnings. In fact, Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot…" A modern day example of this verse might be ending your life as a single adult and begi

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  Dec 18, 2013

  Christmas: Are You All Wrapped Up in the Wrong Things?

  The Christmas season is a time filled with family, friends, and traditions. It is also a time when, if not careful, we can get all wrapped up in the wrong things. Instead of experiencing peace on earth and goodwill toward men our plans and preparations for the "perfect family Christmas" wrap us up in knots.